History of Azeroth: Key Events of the Warcraft Universe
Vanilla WoW Classic 1.12 · x5 realm · wowx5.ru
The history of Azeroth is millennia of war, betrayal and heroism from which the world of WoW Classic grew. To make the zones, dungeons and raids of the WowX5 x5 server meaningful, it helps to know how one event led to the next — from an ancient demonic invasion to the fall of the mighty kingdom of Lordaeron.
This is an overview timeline. Each event has its own article — follow the links below for the details.
Timeline of key events
| Era | Event | Outcome |
|---|---|---|
| ~10,000 years ago | War of the Ancients | First invasion of the Burning Legion |
| The same time | The Sundering | Kalimdor shattered, the Maelstrom born |
| ~1,000 years ago | War of the Shifting Sands | Qiraji sealed behind the Gates of Ahn'Qiraj |
| Year 0 | The First War | Orcs arrive through the Dark Portal, Stormwind falls |
| Years 6–8 | The Second War | The Alliance of Lordaeron formed, the Horde defeated |
| ~Year 10 | The Third War | The Scourge and the Legion; Battle of Mount Hyjal |
| The same time | The Fall of Lordaeron | Arthas destroys the kingdom, the Forsaken are born |
Ancient cataclysms
Long before humans and orcs, the world was ruled by the night elves of Queen Azshara. Their pride and the magic of the Well of Eternity drew the demons — and so began the War of the Ancients. Its finale, the Sundering, reshaped the world forever and drove many ancient threats underground. One of them, the qiraji, returned as an echo in the War of the Shifting Sands — directly tied to the opening of the gates of Ahn'Qiraj on our server.
The three wars of Horde and Alliance
The modern conflict began when the orcs, poisoned by demon blood, broke through the Dark Portal in the First War. The answer was an alliance of humans, dwarves and elves in the Second War. And the Third War and the fall of Lordaeron that followed created the very Azeroth you play in: the Plaguelands, the Forsaken and the fragile peace between factions.
How the history echoes in the game
Almost every corner of WoW Classic is a chapter of the past. The dragon-queen Lady Prestor weaves her schemes in Stormwind, Tirion Fordring keeps the honour of fallen Lordaeron, and Thrall builds a new Horde far from the old wars. Learn the history and you will see every quest differently.
Ready to become part of this story? Create an account on WowX5 x5 and write your name into the chronicle of Azeroth.
FAQ
How did the history of Azeroth begin?
The first great cataclysm was the War of the Ancients some 10,000 years ago — an invasion by the Burning Legion that ended in the Sundering and shattered the single continent of Kalimdor.
How many wars between Horde and Alliance were there?
By the Vanilla era there had been three great wars: the First (the orc invasion through the Dark Portal), the Second (the birth of the Alliance of Lordaeron) and the Third (the coming of the Scourge and the Burning Legion).
Why learn the lore to play on WowX5?
Knowing the history makes zones, dungeons and raids meaningful: the Plaguelands are fallen Lordaeron, Ahn'Qiraj is an echo of the War of the Shifting Sands, and Onyxia and Nefarian are heirs to ancient schemes.